The Tribune

By RIEL MAJOR

THE National Junkanoo Committee announced yesterday this year’s Junior Junkanoo parade will commence on January 31 at 6pm on Bay Street.

The parade will bring together 20 schools from across the Bahamas under the theme “Education is key”.

Tickets can be purchased starting Friday at the cost of $10 at the Ministry of Education.

Dereka Deleveaux Grant, deputy director of culture, said the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture’s aim is for Junior Junkanoo to provide an avenue for school children and young people to participate in this long-standing cultural tradition.

Mrs Grant said: “Tickets are $10 for our bleacher seats and we’re considering $3 standing room entry fee because we are providing a lot of security, so we want to make sure that persons are there who want to be there for the right reasons.”

Kishlane Obrien, co-chair of the National Junkanoo Committee, said: “We are going back to Bay Street and the lights and the glitz and the glamour of what you will experience will be phenomenal so please come and support our youth. There will be seating for everyone because if you don’t buy a ticket you are welcomed to bring a chair and you can stand along the parade route, but it will be so exciting.”

Rhoda Jackson, acting permanent secretary, said Junkanoo is the strongest expression of Bahamian cultural heritage.

“A heritage which is passed on by those who have (spent many years) developing the art of Junkanoo and bringing it to what it is today,” she said. “Our responsibility is to ensure this legacy continues and is shared with our children of today who become our leaders of tomorrow.”

Family Island parades will take place as early as January 26 in Grand Bahama and March 16 in Inagua.

Lead sponsors for the parade include SOL Petroleum Bahamas Limited, the title sponsor, John Bull and Mobile Assist.

A representative from each sponsor expressed their excitement about being a part of the Junior Junkanoo parade.

Donovan Moxey, chief executive officer of Mobile Assist, said a Viewer’s Choice Award will be available for viewers to vote on during the parade. Viewers will be able to select their favourite group on a free mobile app. He said when the voting time begins, viewers will be able to vote in four categories which are best costume, best performance, best bellers and best overall performance.